A teacher who told pupils the homosexual lifestyle was sinful and "disgusting" has had his classroom ban upheld by the High Court.

Lawyers for science teacher Robert Haye, 43, a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, had argued his right to free expression had been compromised by a teaching ban imposed in July, 2012, by regulatory body the Teaching Agency.

Dismissing the appeal on Friday, Mr Justice King said it was "misconceived and must fail".

The judge said: "This case is not about the right of a teacher to hold sincerely-held beliefs based on the Bible in relation to homosexuality or attendance at church on Sundays.

"It has been about how those beliefs and views are manifested in the context of teaching in schools with young people with diverse sexuality, backgrounds and beliefs."

The judge said Deptford Green school, where Haye had taught, had a policy which made it clear that teachers were expected to present positive information on lesbians, gays and bisexuals "to enable students to challenge derogatory stereotypes and prejudice".

Haye told a Year 11 class of students aged 15-16 that the way homosexual people lived was "disgusting" and a sin, according to the Bible.

He also told Year 9 pupils aged 13-14 on another occasion that "anyone who worships on Sunday is basically worshipping the devil".

Following his February 2010 comments at Deptford Green School in Lewisham, south-east London, a teaching assistant complained and triggered an investigation.

Haye was sacked from his job at the 1,200-pupil inner city comprehensive.

He says the High Court's decision effectively ends his career as a teacher.

Now unemployed and facing a £4,200 legal costs bill, he said: "I will not recant my beliefs. God comes first... Christians are now being persecuted in this country for believing in the bible.

"That cannot be. We have a right to believe and express what we believe, but people are now afraid of being punished for not being politically correct.

"This country is a free and democratic society, but is it? Is it really?"